2014 NAGPS Midwest Regional Conference

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Date/Time
Date(s) - 04/04/2014 - 04/06/2014
All Day

Location
Grand Valley State University, Pew Campus

Categories


March 28: Early Registration ENDS and Abstracts DUE
Travel Grant Application NOW ONLINE

[tabgroup] [tab title=Checklist ] [headline]Checklist[/headline] PLEASE REVIEW ALL THE TABS for detailed information about registration and contributing to the conference. Here is a checklist of what you should do:

1. Register for Conference
2. Book your Hotel
3. E-mail your Achievements and Challenges Presentation to mwrvc@nagps.org (One per school)
4. Submit an Abstract (Optional, Deadline 3/28)
5. Apply for a Travel Grant (Optional, Deadline 3/31)
6. NAGPS Members: Nominate someone or yourself for a Regional Board Position (Optional)
7. NAGPS Members: Submit a bid to host the 2015 Midwest Regional Conference (Optional, see “Elections” tab below)
8. RSVP on Facebook and invite your friends and colleagues (Optional)
[/tab] [tab title=Register ] [headline]Registration Fees[/headline]

 

Early Registration (until 3/28):
Individual NAGPS Member: $20/person
Individual Non-Member: $40/person
Groups of 4 or more (NAGPS Member): $15/person
Groups of 4 or more (Non-Member): $30/person
 
Regular Registration:
Individual NAGPS Member: $30/person
Individual Non-Member: $50/person

 

Register Now
RSVP on the 2014 MW Regional Conference Facebook Event Page
[/tab] [tab title=Accommodations][headline]Accommodations[/headline] We secured a block of 15 rooms for conference attendees at:
 
The Amway Plaza Hotel
187 Monroe Ave NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 774-2000
 
Rooms are blocked for both nights for a special nightly rate of $159 per night, if booked before March 13, so book soon!

 

Book Here for Discounted Rate
[headline]Travel Info[/headline]

Driving your own car: There is a $16 nightly parking fee at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

Between airport and hotel: There are multiple taxis and/or car services available you can set up ahead of time. It is about a 15-20 minute ride.

Between hotel and campus: We will have a few members from the GVSU GSA who will meet conference attendees in the lobby to bring them to and from activities. Everything is within walking distance.

[/tab] [tab title=Resources ] [headline]Travel Grants[/headline] Individuals attending NAGPS institutions are eligible to apply for grants to offset the cost of travel to the regional conference. Deadline is March 31.

NOTE: The essay goes where it says “Please outline your request here…”

Travel Grant Application
[/tab]

 

[tab title=Submissions ] [headline]Abstract Submission[/headline]

 

NAGPS regional conferences serve as a forum where student leaders from the region come together to share best practices, learn about national platforms, and grow in their understanding of issues relevant to graduate students in the Midwest. As such, we invite each school that will attend the conference to organize a 30-minute presentation, roundtable discussion, or panel about an issue relevant to graduate student government and improving graduate student life. This includes, but is not limited to, organizational structure, leadership development, advocacy, programming, legislative concerns, organizational continuity, budgeting, networking, social justice, employment, organizational branding, work-life balance, international students, communications, legal concerns, event planning, and academic and professional development. Please limit your abstract to 250 words or less, and submit before Friday, March 28.
 
Submit Your Abstract

 

[headline]Individual School Presentations: Achievements and Challenges[/headline]

 

At the Midwest Regional Conference, we will highlight our most significant achievements and challenges as leaders of graduate-professional student organizations. Learning from your peers can be inspiring and empowering. We’d like to ask every school who participates in the conference to prepare a brief (5-10 minute) Achievements and Challenges presentation.  Please download the presentation template, fill it in, and e-mail it to Deniz Alpay at mwrvc@nagps.org by 5PM, Friday, March 28. If you cannot edit a pptx file, please send Deniz at least 3 achievements and at least 3 challenges your graduate-professional student organization experienced this past year.

 

 
Download the Template [/tab]

 

 

[/tab] [tab title=Elections ] [headline]Regional Board Elections[/headline]

 

Interested in being more involved in NAGPS? Why not start with a regional board position? Elections will be held during the regional business meeting for the following positions (full description of positions here):

 

-Vice Chair
-Director of Outreach
-Director of Legislative Affairs
-Director of Communications & Administration
-Employment Concerns Chair
-Social Justice Chair
-International Student Concerns Chair
-Legal Concerns Chair

 

During the business meeting portion of the conference, elections for each of the positions will be held. For each position, each candidate will get the chance to give their “campaign speech” followed by question and answer by the membership. Afterwards, a closed discussion and closed vote will determine who is elected. (NOTE: Regional Chair positions are elected at the National Conference).

 

Please contact the Midwest Regional Chair, Eduardo Europa at mwrc@nagps.org:

 

-If you are interested in more information about a position
-If you would like to run for a position, but cannot attend the business meeting on April 5

 

Self-nominations are encouraged!

 

Nominate Here

 

[headline]Bids for the 2015 Midwest Regional Conference[/headline]

 

If you are interested in hosting the 2015 Midwest Regional Conference, you must submit a letter of intent to the NAGPS Executive Committee (excomm@nagps.org) AND Regional Chair (mwrc@nagps.org) before the regional conference, April 4, 2014. This letter shall provide two important elements: (1) approval of the graduate-professional student organization (GPSO) to host the regional conference; this can include approval from your GPSO, Dean, or Administrator, and (2) a named Director of Regional Conference to coordinate planning and volunteers of the regional conference (the Director must be a member of the host organization).

 

After submitting the letter, you would present your bid proposal to the membership at the 2014 Regional Conference. Please limit your presentation to no more than 10 minutes and 10 slides. Click here for an example bid. The presentation shall include, but is not limited to:

 

  1. Dates of conference (must occur between March 1st and April 31st)

  2. Location and member organization overview

  3. Meeting facilities

  4. Accommodations

  5. Projected budget

  6. Projected expenses for an attending organization

  7. Name of the Director of Regional Conference

  8. Required assistance from the Association

 

Time will be allotted for questions on each proposal. After all regional bid presentations have concluded, there may be a closed discussion followed by a vote of the membership. The majority vote of the regional membership will elect the host institution for the 2015 Regional Conference.

 

Host institutions shall secure funding for the conference. It is the responsibility of the host school to lead fundraising efforts. All fundraising and other partners must be submitted to the Board of Directors, which reserves the right to reject any partnership. Host institutions shall adhere to the NAGPS Constitution, Bylaws, and Standard Operating Procedures. All approved written and verbal communications to host the conference are binding.

 

For more information or questions, please contact the Vice President, Brandon Milonovich at vp@nagps.org.

 

[/tab] [tab title=Schedule ] [headline]Tentative Schedule[/headline]

 

Friday, April 4

  1. Check in at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

  2. 4pm-7pm: Registration Check In and Welcome at The BOB (Appetizers provided, on your own for drinks)

  3. 7pm: Night on the town

Saturday, April 5

  1. Registration (All Day)

  2. 8:00-9:00am: Breakfast

  3. 8:45am: GVSU Welcome

  4. 9:00am: Opening Remarks by GVSU Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Jeffrey Potteiger

  5. 9:15-9:45am: History of the GVSU GSA

  6. 9:45-10:15am: Professional Development for Graduate Students

  7. 10:15-10:30am – Coffee break

  8. 10:30-12:00pm: Ethics in Leadership

  9. 12:00pm-1:00pm: Lunch

  10. 1:00-2:00pm: Concurrent sessions

  11. 2:00-3:00pm: Achievements and Challenges presentations & roundtable discussion

  12. 3:00-3:15pm: Break

  13. 3:15-4:30pm: Continue roundtable discussion

  14. 4:30-5:30pm: NAGPS Midwest Regional Business Meeting (includes Elections)

  15. 5:30-6:00pm: Closing Remarks

  16. 7:30pm: Dinner (At Bistro Bella Vita, behind Van Andel Arena)

  17. After Dinner: NAGPS Social Event (Bar Hop)

Sunday, April 6

  1. Transition Meeting Brunch with old and new Regional Board

[headline]Attire[/headline]

Welcome Dinner on Friday, Social Event on Saturday, and Brunch on Sunday is casual.

 

Conference on Saturday is business casual.

[/tab] [/tabgroup]

The National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS) would like to invite you to the 2014 Midwest Regional Conference at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in Grand Rapids! This annual conference brings together graduate-professional student leaders from the Midwest region to network, share best practices, discuss common issues, and brainstorm possible solutions. Our weekend will begin Friday night with a welcome reception and dinner from our hosts, the GVSU Graduate Student Association. On Saturday, the conference will take place in the new 125,000-square-foot, four-story LEED Gold certified L. William Seidman Center, GVSU’s Seidman College of Business. The weekend will come to a close on Sunday, allowing attendees to enjoy Grand Rapids on their own before departing.

During the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in sessions that address topics related to improving graduate-professional student life or graduate-professional student governance. This includes, but is not limited to, organizational structure, leadership development, advocacy, programming, legislative concerns, organizational continuity, budgeting, student loan debt, networking, social justice, employment, organizational branding, work-life balance, international students, communications, legal concerns, event planning, and academic and professional development. We encourage all attendees to submit an abstract for a presentation, roundtable discussion, or panel that touches on these issues.

Students from universities with NAGPS membership are invited to nominate themselves or others for a position on the NAGPS Midwest Regional Executive Board, or submit a bid for their university to host the 2015 Midwest Regional Conference. During the conference, we will be electing new regional board members and voting for the next regional conference host institution.

On behalf of the NAGPS Midwest Regional Board, we look forward to seeing you at Grand Rapids in April!

Cheers,

Eduardo Europa
Midwest Regional Chair

GVSU

If you have any questions please contact  Eduardo Europa  by email at mwrc@nagps.org

More details are forth coming, so please register & prepare for a great conference!